Lamine Yamal can replicate Lionel Messi’s achievements and “make historical past” with Barcelona after signing a brand new contract, believes sporting director Deco.
Final week, Yamal put pen to paper on a brand new deal to maintain him in Catalonia till 2031, having entered the ultimate 12 months of his earlier contract.
Yamal registered 18 targets and 21 assists in all competitions final season as Hansi Flick’s aspect received LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de Espana, although they misplaced 7-6 on combination to eventual runners-up Inter within the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Remarkably, Yamal led the charts in LaLiga for assists (13), photographs from outdoors the realm (67), huge probabilities created (28), photographs following a carry (56), probabilities created following a carry (35), throughballs (33) and dribbles accomplished (161) in 2024-25.
Reviews in Spain have advised the 17-year-old will develop into Barca’s highest-paid participant if he meets sure performance-related clauses in his new deal, and Deco feels he deserves that honour.
And whereas he stopped wanting straight evaluating Yamal to eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi, Deco does imagine the winger will write his title into the membership’s historical past books.
“Lamine is Lamine. Leo is Leo. Leo was the very best participant within the historical past of this membership, for me, the very best participant in historical past,” Deco mentioned in an interview with BBC Sport.
“Everybody turns into loopy once they see Lamine taking part in soccer, you’d pay to go watch him within the stadium, he’s particular and he wished to remain as a result of he believes within the challenge.
“He deserves an improved wage. He’s going to be the most effective gamers on the earth. We have to respect him as a participant, however not neglect he’s 17 years outdated.
“It’s not simple to check, however Lamine, by way of high quality, could make historical past like Leo. However after all, to make historical past, he must have a great group behind him.”
Deco additionally revealed final week that discussions had been ongoing over a brand new contract for midfielder Frenkie de Jong, with Eric Garcia additionally reportedly in line for a brand new deal.
Barca have been linked with strikes for Manchester United ahead Marcus Rashford and Liverpool wideman Luis Diaz, and although Deco admitted to admiring each gamers, he mentioned the membership’s first focus is to retain their title-winning core.
The previous Portugal midfielder continued: “We now have been specializing in renewing contracts, after that, we’ll talk about gamers to return.
“In fact, these two gamers, such as you talked about, they’re good however have contracts of their golf equipment, so we received’t converse as a result of it’s not truthful.
“However if you resolve to go to the market, for positive, we discover some names. For my part, we don’t must deliver many gamers.
“After I converse with the brokers of the gamers, everybody needs to return or keep. So that is essential. The picture of the membership continues to be good.
“We’re proud as a result of Barcelona continues to be such an enormous membership, and the way in which we’re taking part in soccer makes gamers wish to come.”